Subcarrier signal for synchronization in macro network

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein are methods and systems that may help a WiMAX base station function without a GPS signal by providing a high-stability reference signal via a subcarrier of a broadcast signal, such as an FM radio signal. An exemplary broadcast station may therefore be configured to phase-lock a subcarrier signal to a GPS signal, and include this subcarrier in its broadcast signal, thereby providing the subcarrier signal for use by a base station as a high-stability reference signal for local-oscillator stabilization at the base station. The broadcast station may further modulate a timing signal onto the subcarrier signal. An exemplary base station may therefore receive the broadcast signal, decode the broadcast signal to acquire the subcarrier signal, and use the subcarrier signal to stabilize its local oscillator, rather than using a GPS signal. The base station may further demodulate the subcarrier to acquire the timing signal, which the base station may use for frame-start synchronization, instead of a GPS signal.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 13/872,010, filed on Apr. 26, 2013, which is a continuation ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/814,206, filed on Jun. 11, 2010,both of which are incorporated herein by reference herein for allpurposes.

BACKGROUND

The recent introduction of WiMAX technology promises to further increasethe proliferation of wirelessly-equipped devices. WiMAX (WorldwideInteroperability for Microwave Access) is an Institute of Electrical andElectronics Engineers (IEEE) standard, designated 802.16, with the802.16e being the current version of the standard (the terms “IEEE802.16,” “IEEE 802.16e,” and “WiMAX” may be used interchangeablyherein). WiMAX provides a robust mechanism for wireless communicationbetween base stations and subscriber stations. In particular, WiMAX isdesigned to provide fixed, portable or non-line-of-sight service with apotential range of five miles, a throughput on the order of thirtymegabits per second, and superior quality of service and security.

WiMAX chipsets that provide for communication in accordance with theWiMAX protocol are becoming increasingly prevalent as standard oroptional equipment not only in traditional wireless communicationsdevices, such as cellular phones and personal digital assistants, butalso in devices that, heretofore, were not used for access to telephonynetworks. These devices include portable music players, entertainmentdevices such as game players, automobiles, domestic appliances and soon.

WiMAX networks are typically implemented as a macro cellular wirelessnetworks (i.e. wireless wide area networks (WWANs)), which typicallyprovide communication services such as voice, text messaging, andpacket-data communication for WiMAX-capable mobile stations. Such mobilestations (which may also be referred to as access terminals, subscriberstations, or client devices, among other terms) and networks typicallycommunicate with each other over a radio frequency (RF) air interfaceaccording to one or more wireless protocols (e.g. WiMAX, CDMA (CodeDivision Multiple Access), EV-DO (Evolution Data Optimized), and/or oneor more others). Mobile stations typically conduct wirelesscommunications with these networks via one or more base transceiverstations (BTSs), each of which send communications to and receivecommunications from mobile stations over the air interface.

Each BTS is in turn connected with a network entity known as a basestation controller (BSC) (which may also be referred to as a radionetwork controller (RNC)), which controls one or more BTSs and acts as aconduit between the one or more BTSs and one or more switches orgateways, such as a mobile switching center (MSC) and/or a packet dataserving node (PDSN). The one or more switches or gateways may theninterface with one or more signaling and/or transport networks. Asexamples, an MSC may interface with the public switched telephonenetwork (PSTN), while a PDSN may interface with one or more core packetdata networks and/or the Internet. As such, mobile stations cantypically communicate over the one or more signaling and/or transportnetworks from anywhere inside the coverage area of one or more BTSs, viathe BTS(s), a BSC, and a switch or gateway such as an MSC and/or PDSN.

In WiMAX, data communications between a mobile station and a basestation (i.e. a BTS, or combinations of one or more BTSs and a BSC) areformatted as Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexed (OFDM) symbols,which are further organized into data frames. As some WiMAX systemsemploy Transmit Division Duplexing, all base stations in a given markettypically begin their transmissions at the same. In particular, the basestations in a given coverage area all begin transmitting each frame atsubstantially the same time, a concept which is referred to herein as“frame-start synchronization.” As there is a five millisecond (ms) frameinterval (i.e., each frame has a duration of five ms), this means thatthe transmitters of each base station turn off and on twenty times persecond.

OVERVIEW

In order to synchronize transmissions, nearby WiMAX base stations eachneed a highly-accurate and stable reference signal that can be used tostabilize the base station's transmitter. In addition, the nearby basestations need access to a timing signal from a common source so that thetransmission of frames can be synchronized. Existing WiMAX base stationstypically include a highly-stable local oscillator, which stabilizes thebase station's transmitter. The local oscillator is typically stabilizedusing a GPS signal. This local oscillator is typically a rubidiumoscillator, although any type of oscillator providing the requiredaccuracy may be employed. Compliance with FCC requirements requires thatthe local oscillator provide a high degree of signal stability fortransmissions. Specifically, to meet the FCC requirements for stability,a WiMAX base station must generate a radio frequency (RF) signal with adegree of precision around 50 parts-per-billion (ppb). Maintaining thisaccuracy over time can be a challenge, as local oscillators tend todrift due to factors such as temperature fluctuation.

In practice, current WiMAX base stations typically use a GlobalPositioning System (GPS) signal to calibrate the local oscillator incompliance with the FCC requirements. In particular, a GPS signaltypically includes a highly-accurate 10 MHz frequency pulse. As such,the local oscillator at a base station can be phase-locked to the GPSsignal and used to stabilize the base-station transmitter. Furthermore,the 10 MHz frequency pulse may serve as a timing signal, which can beused by nearby base stations to synchronize the transmission of dataframes (i.e., for frame-start synchronization).

Existing WiMAX base stations may also use a GPS signal for a number ofother purposes. More specifically, in addition to using GPS (1) tostabilize a local oscillator and (2) for frame-start synchronization,base stations typically (3) acquire time-of-day information from a GPSsignal, which helps the base station to accurately report events to aservice provider's network operations center, and (4) use the GPS signalto determine geographic location. However, relying on a GPS signal canpresent a problem for a base station, as acquiring a GPS signaltypically requires a line-of-sight view of a GPS satellite, which is notavailable in many locations. Accordingly, exemplary methods and systemsare provided herein that help a WiMAX base station operate withoutrequiring a GPS signal for some, or preferably all, of the functions forwhich a GPS signal is currently used.

In one aspect, an exemplary method may be carried out at a broadcaststation, and may involve: (a) at a broadcast station, receiving a GPSsignal; (b) the broadcast station using the GPS signal to generate asubcarrier signal, wherein the subcarrier signal is phase-locked to theGPS signal; and (c) the broadcast station transmitting the subcarriersignal, thereby providing the subcarrier signal for use by a basestation as a high-stability reference signal for local-oscillatorstabilization at the base station.

The method may further involve: (d) the broadcast station generating atiming signal comprising timing information, wherein the timing signalis phase-locked to the GPS signal; and (e) before transmitting thesubcarrier signal, the broadcast station modulating the timing signalonto the subcarrier, thereby providing the timing information for use bya base station for frame-start synchronization. Furthermore, thebroadcast station may periodically interrupt the timing information inthe timing signal, wait a predetermined period of time, and then inserttime-of-day information in the timing signal.

In a further aspect, another exemplary method may be carried out at abase station, and may involve: (a) at a base station, receiving abroadcast signal from a broadcast station, wherein the signal comprisesa subcarrier signal, and wherein the broadcast station has phase-lockedthe subcarrier signal to a GPS signal; (b) decoding the broadcast signalto acquire the subcarrier signal; and (c) using the subcarrier signal tostabilize a local oscillator at the base station, wherein the localoscillator is used by the base station to maintain signal stability forWiMAX communications. The method may further involve (d) demodulatingthe subcarrier signal to acquire the timing signal and (e) the basestation using the timing information provided by the timing signal as abasis for frame-start synchronization.

In yet a further aspect, an exemplary system may take the form of abroadcast station or components thereof, and may include (a) a GPSreceiver configured to acquire a GPS signal; (b) a local oscillator thatis phase-locked to the GPS signal; (c) a subcarrier generator that isconfigured to generate a subcarrier signal, wherein the subcarriersignal is phase-locked to the GPS by the local oscillator; and (d) atransmitter configured to transmit a broadcast signal that includes thesubcarrier signal, thereby providing the subcarrier signal for use by abase station as a high-stability reference signal for local-oscillatorstabilization at the base station. The system may further include (e) atiming-signal generator that is configured to generate a timing signalcomprising timing information, wherein the timing signal is phase-lockedto the GPS signal. As such, the subcarrier generator may be configured,before transmitting the broadcast signal that includes the subcarriersignal, to modulate the timing signal onto the subcarrier signal,thereby providing the timing information for use by a base station forframe-start synchronization.

And in yet a further aspect, another exemplary system may take the formof a base station in a macro network or components thereof, and mayinclude: (a) a receiver configured to receive a broadcast signal at abase station, wherein the broadcast signal comprises a subcarriersignal, and wherein a broadcast station has phase-locked the subcarriersignal to a GPS signal; (b) a decoder configured to decode the broadcastsignal to acquire the subcarrier signal; and (c) means for using thesubcarrier signal to stabilize a local oscillator at the base station,wherein the local oscillator is used by the base station to maintainsignal stability for WiMAX communications. The system may furtherinclude: (e) a demodulator that is configured to demodulate thesubcarrier to acquire the timing signal; and (f) means for using thetiming information provided by the timing signal as a basis forframe-start synchronization at the WiMAX base station.

These as well as other aspects, advantages, and alternatives, willbecome apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reading thefollowing detailed description, with reference where appropriate to theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described hereinwith reference to the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is schematic representation of a coverage area where service isavailable from a WiMAX base station;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a communication system, accordingto an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 3A is a flow chart illustrating a method, according to an exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 3B is another flow chart illustrating a method, according to anexemplary embodiment;

FIG. 4 is another flow chart illustrating a method, according to anexemplary embodiment;

FIG. 5A is a block diagram illustrating an FM radio station, accordingto an exemplary embodiment; and

FIG. 5B is a block diagram illustrating a WiMAX base station, accordingto an exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In general, the invention may be described by way of example, withreference to Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX)systems. However, it is anticipated that exemplary embodiments may beimplemented in any macro network, including macro networks operatingunder telecommunications protocols other than WiMAX. For example,exemplary methods and systems may also be employed in the context ofLong Term Evolution (LTE) systems such as those currently standardizedby the 3^(rd) Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), and those indevelopment (e.g., LTE Advanced) or yet to be developed. Accordingly,descriptions of exemplary embodiments relating to WiMAX systems shouldnot be construed as limiting their applicability thereto.

FIG. 1 is schematic representation of a coverage area 100 where serviceis available from a WiMAX base station 102. Also shown are a pluralityof WiMAX client devices that may compete for ranging resources of theWiMAX base station 102. The client devices may take the form of, forexample, WiMAX devices located in a building or home 104, such ascomputer, appliance or cell phone, WiMAX devices located in anautomobile 106, a portable computer 108, a cellular telephone 110, apersonal digital assistant 112, an MP3 player 114, another cell phone116, another MP3 player 118 and/or various WiMAX devices located withinan office building 120 such as computers, cell phones, game players,etc. Adjacent areas may be covered by other base stations, one of whichis shown as base station 122.

Provided with a WiMAX connection via base station 102, a client devicemay engage in various types of communication. For instance, a basestation 102 may provide connectivity to a packet-switched network 130such as the Internet. Further, packet-data connectivity may be providedvia a service provider's network 132 or directly. In addition topacket-data connectivity, a WiMAX connection may also provide access toother services such as voice-over-IP (VOIP), among others.

It should be understood that references to a WiMAX base station, such asbase station 102, are representative of various types of entities, andgenerally apply to any entity configured to provide WiMAX service. Suchentities may include, but are not limited to, commercial base stationsthat are installed by service providers, as well as base stations that asubscriber (such as a private consumer or small business) may install intheir home or place of business. For example, to address gaps inmacro-network coverage (e.g. in buildings) and for other reasons,macro-network service providers may offer consumers devices referred toas femtocells, which may also be referred to as femto base stations,femto BTSs, picocells, pico base stations, pico BTSs, microcells, microbase stations, micro BTSs, and by other names, such as Internet basestations or perhaps low-cost Internet base stations (LCIBs). Withrespect to the term LCIB, low-cost is not used as a limiting term; thatis, devices of any monetary cost may be categorized as LCIBs, thoughmost LCIBs typically will be less expensive on average than mostmacro-network base stations.

A femtocell may be approximately the size of a desktop phone or WiFiaccess point, and is essentially a low-power, low-capacity version of amacro base station. Thus, a femtocell may use a power outlet, perhapswith a transformer providing a DC power supply. The femtocell may have awired (e.g. Ethernet) or wireless (e.g. WiFi) connection with the user'srouter, and would thus have connectivity to the Internet and/or one ormore other packet-data networks via that broadband connection. Afemtocell may establish a virtual-private-network (VPN) connection overthe Internet with an entity (e.g. a VPN terminator) on thewireless-service (macro-network) provider's core network, and thereby beable to securely communicate via the VPN terminator with other entitieson that core network and beyond. A typical femtocell also has awireless-communication interface (operating according to WiMAX, CDMA,EV-DO, and/or one or more other protocols) that is compatible with theuser's mobile station(s), such that the femtocell may act as a microbase station, providing coverage for the mobile station(s) on themacro-network provider's network via the user's Internet connection.Usually, a femtocell provides service on a single RF carrier (or on asingle carrier per protocol, if multiple protocols (e.g. WiMAX andEV-DO) are supported).

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a communication system, accordingto an exemplary embodiment. In one aspect, the communication systemincludes a broadcast station 202, which may be any entity configured forterrestrial broadcast services, such as an FM radio station forinstance. In an exemplary embodiment, the broadcast station 202 mayradiate a broadcast signal, which includes a subcarrier that isphase-locked to a GPS signal and thus serves as a high-stabilityreference signal for a WiMAX base station 250. Further, the broadcaststation 202 may modulate timing information for frame-startsynchronization, and/or TOD information, onto the subcarrier. Yetfurther, WiMAX base station 250 may be pre-programmed with its locationor configured to determine its location using non-GPS means (such as alocal Internet connection, for instance). With this arrangement, WiMAXbase station 250 may be fully operational without any use of GPS, as allfunctions for which a GPS signal would otherwise be used (e.g.,local-oscillator stabilization, frame-start synchronization, obtainingTOD information, and/or location determination), may be accomplishedusing the subcarrier and/or non-GPS location information.

However, while it is preferable that WiMAX base station 250 be fullyoperational without relying on a GPS signal, it should be understoodthat in some embodiments, WiMAX base station 250 may use the subcarrierto replace GPS for some purposes, but still use GPS for other purposes.Moreover, it is even possible that the subcarrier be used alongside orin conjunction with GPS, with the subcarrier and GPS providing some orall of the same functionality.

Referring now to the broadcast station 202, it includes a program signalgenerator 204, which may be configured to modulate program informationonto a baseband carrier, and a subcarrier signal generator 206, which isconfigured to generate a subcarrier signal. The broadcast station 202also includes a GPS receiver 208 and a high-stability local oscillator210, which may both be used, along with the subcarrier signal generator206, to provide high-stability subcarrier that is phase-locked to a GPSreference signal. Combiner 212 may function to combine the programinformation from program signal generator 204 and the subcarrier signalfrom subcarrier signal generator 206 for broadcast by transmitter 214.Configured as such, the subcarrier may be used by base station 250 as ahigh-stability reference signal for stabilizing the base station's localoscillator.

In a further aspect, broadcast station 202 includes a timing signalencoder 216. The timing signal encoder 216 is also stabilized by thehigh-stability oscillator 210, and thus phase-locked to the GPS timingsignal acquired by GPS receiver 208. Preferably, the timing signalencoder 216 generates a frequency shift keying (FSK) timing signal,which is then modulated onto the subcarrier generated by subcarriersignal generator 206. For instance, the FSK timing signal may be abinary FSK signal having transitions that occur at the same rate asWiMAX frames (i.e., the period between transitions is 5 ms—the sameduration as a WiMAX frame). In so doing, the subcarrier provides areference timing signal, from which base station 250 can derive timinginformation for frame-start synchronization. Therefore, base station 250may rely on the timing information modulated onto the subcarrier forframe-start synchronization, instead of a GPS timing signal received atthe base station.

In yet a further aspect, timing signal encoder 216 may be configured toembed time-of-day (TOD) information in the timing signal. For instance,in an exemplary embodiment, timing signal encoder 216 may periodicallyinterrupt the timing signal by ceasing to encode timing information inthe timing signal, or ceasing output of the timing signal altogether,for a predetermined period of time. After this predetermined period, thetiming signal encoder 216 may output TOD information (which may beacquired from the GPS timing signal output from GPS receiver 208), andthen resume outputting the timing signal. As this transition and TODinformation is broadcast in the subcarrier, the subcarrier may thusprovide base station 250 with TOD information, which it would otherwiseacquire directly from a GPS timing signal.

In a further aspect, timing signal encoder 216 may also embed locationdata (e.g., GPS coordinates), which indicates the location of thebroadcast station 202, in the timing signal. This location data mayallow a base station receiving the timing signal to calculate thedistance between the base station and the broadcast station 202, inorder to account for time-of-flight delay.

Referring now to base station 250, it may be any type of WiMAX basestation. As shown, base station 250 includes a WiMAX antenna 252 that itmay use to provide service to WiMAX devices operating in its coveragearea. In an exemplary embodiment, base station 250 is configured to usethe subcarrier signal that is broadcast by broadcast station 202 as areference signal, with which base station 250 stabilizes its localoscillator. Further, base station 250 may be configured to use thetiming signal, which is modulated onto the subcarrier by broadcaststation 202, for frame-start synchronization. As such, base station 250includes a terrestrial broadcast antenna (TBA) 258 and a broadcastreceiver 260 for receiving the broadcast signal from broadcast station202.

Configured as such, base station 250 may use the subcarrier signal tosupport at least some, and preferably all, of the functionality forwhich GPS would otherwise be used. More specifically, broadcast receiver260 may include a sub-channel decoder that operates to extract thesubcarrier from the received broadcast signal. As the subcarrier hasbeen phase-locked to the GPS timing signal by the broadcast station 202,it provides a highly-accurate reference signal, which base station 250may then use to stabilize its own local oscillator 262. In particular,base station 250 may phase-lock the frequency of local oscillator 262 tothe subcarrier. By doing so, base station 250 may stabilize is localoscillator 262 without access to a GPS satellite.

Furthermore, base station 250 may include a timing signal decoder 264that is configured to demodulate the subcarrier signal in order toobtain the timing signal that was modulated onto the subcarrier atbroadcast station 202. In an exemplary embodiment, the timing signal isan FSK timing signal. As such, base station 250 may achieve frame-startsynchronization by transmitting WiMAX frames such that the timing offrames corresponds to the transitions of the FSK timing signal. Inparticular, to transmit each frame, the base station 250 may apply atime advance from each transition, which accounts for the time-of-flightdelay between broadcast station 202 and base station 250, and thentransmit the frame. Furthermore, nearby base stations may likewise beconfigured to apply time advances, which are based on their respectivetime-of-flight delays to broadcast station 202. Therefore, by applyingtheir respective time advances to the FSK timing signal, base station250 and the nearby base stations can effectively synchronize thetransmission of each frame.

Preferably, the time advance (which may also be referred to as a timingoffset) that base station 250 applies for frame-start synchronization isprovided by an ephemeris system 270 that is part of, or accessiblethrough, service provider network 132. In particular, base station 250may send its own geographic coordinates, along with the broadcastfrequency of the broadcast station 202, to ephemeris system 270.Ephemeris system 270 may then be configured to access a database (notshown), which identifies broadcast stations by their broadcastfrequency, and provides each station's geographical coordinates. Assuch, the ephemeris system 270 may query this database with thebroadcast station frequency reported by base station 250 to determinethe location of broadcast station 202. The ephemeris system 270 may thenuse the location of broadcast station 202 and the location of basestation 250 to calculate the time-of-flight delay, and correspondingtime advance that should be used by base station 250. The ephemerissystem 250 may then send this time advance to base station 250.

Alternatively, base station 250 may itself determine the time advance.To do so, base station 250 may use various techniques to determine thetime-of-flight delay from broadcast station 202, which base station 250may then apply as a time advance for frame-start synchronization. Insuch embodiments, base station 250 typically calculates the distancebetween base station 250 and broadcast station 202 (which may involvethe base station determining the location of the broadcast station 202and its own location), and uses this distance to determine thetime-of-flight delay to the broadcast station 202. In particular, thetime-of-flight delay may be set equal to the product of the distance tothe broadcast station 202 multiplied by a known constant speed at whichthe broadcast signal travels.

To determine its own location (either to send to ephemeris engine 270,or to use to itself determine the time advance), base station 250 mayuse various techniques. For instance, the base station's own locationmay be pre-programmed into base station 250. In particular, a serviceprovider, knowing the location of the installation, may input thelatitude and longitude of the base station 250 during installation.Alternatively, a base station 250 may derive its own location via anInternet connection, and in particular may determine its physicallocation via a database lookup from the internet service provider's MACAddress/location subscriber database in which the base station'slocation is typically recorded during the registration process.

Further, in embodiments where base station 250 itself determines thetime advance, the base station may use various techniques to determinethe location of the broadcast station 202. For example, base station 250may be provided with access to a database of broadcast stationsidentified by their RF frequencies, and their corresponding geographicalcoordinates. As such, the base station 250 may query this database todetermine the location of a broadcast station 202 from which the timingsignal is received. Alternatively, the timing signal itself may includelocation data indicating the location of broadcast station 202, whichbase station 250 may extract along with the timing information.Generally, it should be understood that any technique for determiningdistance to the broadcast station and/or the corresponding time advance(e.g., the time-of-flight delay) may be employed, without departing fromthe scope of the invention.

In another aspect, base station 250 may extract the time-of-dayinformation embedded in the received timing signal. To do so, the basestation 250 may detect an interruption in the timing information, thenlook for the time-of-day information. The base station 250 may then usethe extracted time-of-day information to send a timestamped report toNetwork Operation Center (NETOPS) 272, which is maintained by theservice provider.

FIG. 3A is a flow chart illustrating a method 300 according to anexemplary embodiment. The method is described by way of example as beingcarried out by a broadcast station. It should be understood thatfunctions that are described as being carried out by a broadcast stationmay be carried out by any entity implemented by or provided to abroadcast station. Such entities include, but are not limited to,entities related to generating and broadcasting a terrestrial broadcastsignal, and other entities communicatively coupled to such entities.

Method 300 involves the broadcast station receiving a GPS signal, asshown by block 302. The broadcast station then generates a subcarriersignal that is phase-locked to the GPS signal, and thus serves as ahigh-stability reference for a WiMAX base station, as shown by block304. In addition, the broadcast station generates a timing signal thatis also phase-locked to the GPS signal, and includes timing information,as shown by block 306. The base station then modulates the timing signalonto the subcarrier signal, as shown by block 308. The broadcast stationthen transmits the subcarrier signal on the subcarrier frequency, asshown by block 310. By so doing, the broadcast station provides thesubcarrier for use by a WiMAX base station, which may decode thesubcarrier signal and use it as high-stability reference signal tostabilize its local oscillator. Further, the WiMAX base station maydemodulate the subcarrier to extract the timing signal and timinginformation contained therein. The timing information can then be usedby the WiMAX base station for frame-start synchronization.

FIG. 3B is a flow chart illustrating an additional aspect of anexemplary method, in which the broadcast station includes time-of-day(TOD) information in the timing signal that is modulated onto thesubcarrier. In particular, the broadcast station may continually encodetiming information in the timing signal it outputs, as shown by block350. For instance, the broadcast station may encode timing informationin the timing signal using frequency shift keying (FSK). Then, toprovide TOD information, the broadcast station periodically interrupts(i.e., stops encoding) the timing information for a predetermined periodof time, as shown by block 352. This interruption indicates that TODinformation will follow. Accordingly, after interrupting the timinginformation and waiting for the predetermined period of time, thebroadcast station inserts TOD information in the timing signal (e.g.,encodes the TOD information in the timing signal), as shown by block354. After inserting the TOD information, the broadcast station resumesencoding timing information in the timing signal, as shown by block 350.Accordingly, the broadcast station may repeatedly perform this method toperiodically provide TOD information via the timing signal.

FIG. 4 is another flow chart illustrating a method 400 according to anexemplary embodiment. The method is described by way of example as beingcarried out by a WiMAX base station. It should be understood thatfunctions that are described by way of example as being carried out by aWiMAX base station, but may be carried out by any entity or entitiesthat are configured to provide the described functionality, withoutdeparting from the scope of the invention.

As shown, method 400 involves the base station receiving from abroadcast station, a broadcast signal that includes a subcarrier, asshown by block 402. The base station then decodes the broadcast signalto acquire the subcarrier, as shown by block 404. The base station thenuses the subcarrier as a high-stability reference signal for stabilizingthe BS's local oscillator, as shown by block 406. The subcarrier signalhas been phase-locked to a GPS signal at the broadcast station, beforebeing broadcast. Therefore, the base station can stabilize its localoscillator using the subcarrier, which alleviates the need for the basestation to itself use a GPS signal for stabilization of its localoscillator.

In a further aspect of method 400, the base station may extract timinginformation from the subcarrier, which the base station may then use tosynchronize the transmission of WiMAX frames with other nearby BSs. Morespecifically, the broadcast station may have modulated a timing signalonto the subcarrier, the therefore the base station may demodulate thesubcarrier to acquire the timing signal, as shown by block 408. The basestation may then use the timing information from the timing signal forframe-start synchronization, as shown by block 410. For example, thetiming signal is preferably an FSK timing signal. As such, the basestation may detect when transitions in the FSK timing signal occur. Thebase station may also determine a time-of-flight delay between itselfand the broadcast station. Then, to implement frame-startsynchronization with nearby BSs, the base station may detect eachtransition and then delay for a period of time to compensate for thetime-of-flight delay before transmitting a next WiMAX frame.

In yet a further aspect of method 400, the base station may periodicallyacquire TOD information from the timing signal. In particular, as shownby block 412, the base station may periodically detect in the timingsignal, an interruption in the timing information being provided via thetiming signal, which indicates that TOD information will follow.Accordingly, the base station may then look for TOD information in thetiming signal, rather than timing information, and extract the TODinformation from the timing signal, as shown by block 414. The basestation may then use the TOD information to send a report, whichincludes a timestamp, to the WiMAX Network Operations Center, as shownby block 416.

Further, it should be understood that when the base station detects aninterruption in the timing information, the base station may continueprocesses for frame-start synchronization, using the last-receivedtiming information. Then, once the TOD information has been extractedfrom the timing signal, the base station may resume looking for andusing timing information from the timing signal for frame-startsynchronization, as shown by block 410.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are block diagram illustrating components of acommunications system in which a subcarrier of an FM radio signal isused as a high-stability reference signal for local-oscillatorstabilization at a WiMAX base station. In particular, FIG. 5A is a blockdiagram illustrating an exemplary FM radio station 502, which transmitsa terrestrial broadcast signal that includes a 92 kHz subcarrier that isphase-locked to a GPS timing signal. FIG. 5B shows an exemplary WiMAXbase station 550 that is configured to use the terrestrial broadcastsignal as a high-stability reference signal, rather than using a GPSsignal for this purpose.

As shown, the FM broadcast station 502 (also referred to herein as an“FM station”) includes standard features for broadcasting an FM radiosignal. Specifically, FM station 502 includes a main program combiner504 and a stereo program combiner 506. Commercial FM broadcast stationsnormally transmit two channels of audio: Left (L) and Right (R). To doso requires a baseband signal and a subcarrier. When an FM signal isweak, however, only one signal can be recovered. As such, the mainprogram combiner 504 creates the left and right audio in a single signal(L+R), which FM program information generator 508 then modulates onto abaseband frequency between 30 Hz and 15 kHz. The stereo program combinerthen outputs a signal that is the right channel subtracted from the leftchannel (L-R), which FM Stereo Subcarrier generator 510 then modulatesonto a 38 kHz subcarrier. Therefore, a receiver can recover the left andright channels by adding the baseband signal and the subcarrier (for theleft channel) and subtracting the subcarrier from the baseband signal(for the right channel). And, if the signal is weak, and only thebaseband signal is available, the receiver will not be able to recoverstereo, but still receives all the audio information (i.e., L+R).

FM broadcast station 502 also includes a pilot tone generator, whichgenerates a 19 kHz pilot tone. A receiving station can then detect theFM broadcast by listening for the 19 kHz pilot tone. A broadcastgenerator 512 then combines the baseband signal, the 19 kHz pilot tone,the 38 kHz subcarrier, and any other subcarriers to produce a compositeFM signal, which modulates FM transmitter 513. Techniques such as theforegoing for FM broadcasting are well known in the art, and thus notdescribed in greater detail herein.

The FM broadcast station 502 is also configured to include a 92 kHzsubcarrier in the composite signal, which serves as a high-stabilityreference signal for WiMAX base stations. Accordingly, FM station 502may include a GPS receiver 514 and a local oscillator 516, which may beused, along with a 92 kHz subcarrier generator 518, to provide a 92 kHzsubcarrier which is highly stable and phase-locked to a GPS timingsignal.

At FM broadcast station 502, GPS receiver 514 may function to provide aGPS coordinates (e.g., latitude and longitude), time-of-day (TOD)information, and/or a GPS timing signal, which typically takes the formof a 10 MHz frequency pulse. The GPS timing signal may be fed to thelocal oscillator 516, which is then phase-locked to the GPS timingsignal. As such, 92 kHz subcarrier generator 518 may use localoscillator 516 to generate the 92 kHz subcarrier, thus substantiallysynchronizing the phase of the 92 kHz subcarrier with the phase of theGPS timing signal. As a result, the 92 kHz subcarrier provides ahigh-stability reference signal for WiMAX base stations.

In a further aspect, to provide WiMAX base stations with timinginformation for frame-start synchronization, FM broadcast station 502also includes an FSK timing signal encoder 520 (also referred to hereinas an “FSK encoder”). FSK encoder 520 is preferably configured togenerate a 200 Hz FSK timing signal, which is preferably a binary FSKsignal having transitions that occur at the same rate as WiMAX frames.As such, FSK timing signal may provide timing information that a WiMAXbase station can use to achieve frame-start synchronization with nearbybase stations. The FSK encoder 520 is also stabilized by the localoscillator 516, and thus phase-locked to the GPS timing signal providedby GPS receiver 514.

FSK encoder 520 may also be configured to output the 200 Hz FSK timingsignal to the 92 kHz subcarrier generator 518. The subcarrier generator518 can then modulate the 200 Hz FSK timing signal onto the 92 kHzsubcarrier (or alternatively, the FSK timing signal encoder 520 mayitself modulate the 200 Hz FSK timing signal onto the 92 kHzsubcarrier). The broadcast generator 512 may then include the 92 kHZsubcarrier (with the 200 Hz FSK timing signal modulated thereon), alongwith the baseband signal, the 19 kHz pilot tone, and the 38 kHzsubcarrier, in the composite FM signal.

In a further aspect, to provide WiMAX base stations with the TODinformation they would otherwise obtain from their own GPS receivers,FSK timing signal encoder 520 may be configured to embed the time-of-day(TOD) information from GPS receiver 514 in the FSK timing signal. Forinstance, the FSK timing signal encoder 520 may periodically interruptthe timing information being encoded into the 200 Hz FSK timing signal,wait a predetermined period of time (to signal to base station 550 thatTOD information will follow), and then modulate the TOD information ontothe 92 kHz subcarrier (or output the TOD information to the 92 kHzsubcarrier generator 518, which can then modulate the TOD informationonto the 92 kHz subcarrier). In either scenario, after inserting the TODinformation, the FSK timing signal encoder 520 typically resumesencoding timing information in the 200 Hz FSK timing signal.

Referring now to base station 550, it typically includes components forproviding WiMAX service, such as those described in reference to basestation 250 of FIG. 2 and those that are generally known to thoseskilled in the art. Base station 550 is also configured to decode thecomposite FM signal broadcast from FM transmitter 513, and use the 92kHz subcarrier as high-stability reference signal with which tostabilize its local oscillator 552. As such, base station 550 includesan FM receiver 554 configured to receive the composite FM signal, and asub-channel decoder 556 that is configured to extract the 92 kHzsubcarrier from the received FM signal. The local oscillator 552 maythen be phase-locked to the 92 kHz subcarrier once extracted.

Further, base station 550 may include an FSK decoder 558, which isconfigured to demodulate the 92 kHz subcarrier in order to acquire the200 Hz FSK timing signal. More specifically, the FSK decoder 558receives the 92 kHz subcarrier from the sub-channel decoder 556, anddemodulates the 92 kHz subcarrier to extract the 200 Hz timing signal.The timing information provided by the 200 Hz timing signal may then beused by WiMAX signal generator 560 for frame-start synchronization. Forinstance, as described herein, the base station 550 may implement a timeadvance, which is equal to the time-of-flight delay between base station550 and FM station 502, from each transition in the FSK timing signal.As such, when the base station 550 detects a transition, it may wait fora period of time to compensate for the time-of-flight delay, and theninitiate the transmission of the next WiMAX frame.

In a further aspect, WiMAX base station 550 may be configured to extractTOD information from the 200 Hz FSK timing signal, as explained herein.Also as explained herein, WiMAX base station 550 may be pre-programmedor configured to determine its location and/or calculate time-of-flightdelay to broadcast station 502, without relying on a GPS signal. A WiMAXbase station that is configured as such, and is configured to use thesubcarrier as a high-stability reference signal, may be fullyoperational without any use of GPS, as all functions for which a GPSsignal would otherwise be used (e.g., local-oscillator stabilization,frame-start synchronization, obtaining TOD information, and/or locationdetermination), are supported without use of a GPS. However, it shouldbe understood that in some embodiments, WiMAX base station 550 may usethe subcarrier as a high-stability reference signal, but still use GPSfor other purposes (or possibly even purposes overlapping those forwhich the subcarrier is used).

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been describedabove. It should be understood the word “exemplary” is used herein tomean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodimentdescribed herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed aspreferred or advantageous over other embodiments. In addition, thoseskilled in the art will understand that changes and modifications may bemade to these exemplary embodiments without departing from the truescope and spirit of the invention, which is defined by the claims.

We claim:
 1. A method comprising: at a terrestrial broadcast station,receiving a Global Positioning System (GPS) signal; the terrestrialbroadcast station phase-locking a local oscillator to the GPS signal;the terrestrial broadcast station using the local oscillator to generatea subcarrier signal, thereby phase-locking the subcarrier signal to theGPS signal; and the terrestrial broadcast station transmitting aterrestrial broadcast signal that includes the phase-locked subcarriersignal, thereby providing the phase-locked subcarrier signal for use bya base station as a high-stability reference for local-oscillatorstabilization at the base station.
 2. The method of claim 1, whereingenerating the subcarrier signal comprising timing informationcomprises: generating a timing signal comprising the timing information,wherein the timing signal is phase-locked to the GPS signal; andmodulating the timing signal onto a subcarrier of the terrestrialbroadcast signal.
 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising theterrestrial broadcast station periodically interrupting the timinginformation in the timing signal, waiting a predetermined period oftime, and then inserting time-of-day information in the timing signal.4. The method of claim 2, wherein the subcarrier signal is a 92 kHzsubcarrier of an FM radio signal, and wherein the timing signalcomprises a 200 Hz frequency shift keying (FSK) timing signal.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: the broadcast station generatinga timing signal comprising timing information, wherein the timing signalis phase-locked to the GPS signal; and before transmitting thesubcarrier signal, the broadcast station modulating the timing signalonto the subcarrier, thereby providing the timing information for use bya base station for frame-start synchronization.
 6. The method of claim1, wherein terrestrial broadcast station comprises an FM radio station.7. The method of claim 1, wherein terrestrial broadcast stationcomprises a television broadcast station.
 8. The method of claim 1,wherein the phase-locked subcarrier signal provides timing informationfor use by the base station as a high-stability reference signal forlocal-oscillator stabilization at the base station configured forwireless communications under a Long Term Evolution (LTE) protocol.
 9. Aterrestrial broadcast system comprising: a GPS receiver configured toacquire a Global Positioning System (GPS) signal; a local oscillatorthat is phase-locked to the GPS signal; a subcarrier generator that isconfigured to use the local oscillator to generate a subcarrier signal,thereby phase-locking the subcarrier signal to the GPS signal; and atransmitter configured to transmit a terrestrial broadcast signal thatincludes the phase-locked subcarrier signal, thereby providing thephase-locked subcarrier signal for use by a base station as ahigh-stability reference signal for local-oscillator stabilization atthe base station.
 10. The system of claim 9, further comprising atiming-signal generator, wherein the timing-signal generator isconfigured to periodically interrupt the timing information beingmodulated onto the subcarrier signal, wait for a predetermined period oftime, and then modulate time-of-day information onto the subcarriersignal.
 11. A method comprising: at a base station, receiving aterrestrial broadcast signal, wherein the broadcast signal comprises asubcarrier signal that has been phase-locked to a Global PositioningSystem (GPS) signal by a terrestrial broadcast station, wherein theterrestrial broadcast station phase-locked a broadcast-station localoscillator to the GPS signal, and wherein the phase-locked subcarriersignal is generated in phase with the broadcast-station localoscillator; decoding the terrestrial broadcast signal to acquire thesubcarrier signal; using the subcarrier signal to stabilize a localoscillator at the base station, wherein the local oscillator is used bythe base station to maintain signal stability for wirelesscommunications.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the local oscillatoris used by the base station to maintain signal stability forcommunications under a Long Term Evolution (LTE) protocol.
 13. Themethod of claim 11, wherein the received signal comprises an FM radiosignal.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the subcarrier signalcomprises a subcarrier having a timing signal modulated therein, whereinthe subcarrier is a 92 kHz subcarrier, and wherein the timing signalcomprises a 200 Hz frequency shift keying (FSK) timing signal.
 15. Themethod of claim 11, wherein the subcarrier signal comprises timinginformation, the method further comprising: detecting periodicinterruptions in timing information; and after detecting eachinterruption in the timing information, acquiring time-of-dayinformation from the subcarrier signal.
 16. A base-station systemcomprising: a receiver configured to receive a terrestrial broadcastsignal, wherein the broadcast signal comprises a subcarrier signal thathas been phase-locked to a Global Positioning System (GPS) signal by aterrestrial broadcast station, wherein the terrestrial broadcast stationphase-locked a broadcast-station local oscillator to the GPS signal, andwherein the phase-locked subcarrier signal is generated in phase withthe broadcast-station local oscillator; a decoder configured to decodethe terrestrial broadcast signal to acquire the phase-locked subcarriersignal; and a local oscillator that is operable to stabilize wirelesssignal transmissions by a base station, wherein the local oscillator isstabilized based on the phase-locked subcarrier signal.
 17. The systemof claim 16, wherein the terrestrial broadcast signal comprises an FMradio signal, and wherein the receiver comprises an FM receiver.
 18. Themethod of claim 16, wherein the local oscillator is operable tostabilize wireless signal transmissions by the base station under a LongTerm Evolution (LTE) protocol.